Chapter 75: A Farewell Greeting

"Kei, saying that makes me even more reluctant to leave." Ular laughed loudly.

Kei was silent for a moment, then reached into his coat pocket and fumbled around for a bit.

"I happen to have something I want to give you all."

He took out a small box and placed it on the counter. Ular curiously looked at the box and asked:

"What is that?"

Kei opened the lid of the box.

Inside were two space rings crafted last night. They had not yet been put up for sale, with a faint glow of energy flickering on the surface of the rings.

Kei took out both rings, placing one in Ular’s hand and the other in Yudian’s hand.

"This is my farewell gift for you all." Kei smiled. "Wishing you all a safe journey."

Ular stared at the ring in his hand in astonishment. Everyone knew that this morning, news about the space ring that could protect hunters and allow them to leave the Dungeon safely had already spread throughout Dong-San City. This upgraded version of Kei’s space ring could now be said to be even harder to buy than an S-rank weapon!

He stammered with a delighted expression:

"Kei... you’re giving these to us?"

"Yes."

"But these are upgraded space rings!"

Kei was amused by Ular’s funny expression.

"I know, I just finished crafting them last night!"

Ular clutched the ring tightly in his hand. To be honest, although he felt a bit awkward about it, he didn’t want to let it go. Even if he registered a pre-order with Kim Sora now, there was no telling when the ring would be available.

"Do you know how precious these are?"

Kei chuckled.

"If I didn’t know, I wouldn’t have given them. This is my blessing for you all as you head to the new city."

Ular lowered his head and looked at the ring for a long time, then carefully put it on his finger.

"Thank you, Kei."

His voice grew hoarse with emotion.

Yudian also slipped the ring onto his finger, bowed deeply, and thanked Kei.

"We will definitely treasure it. I won’t let it get damaged."

"Don’t worry." Kei said. "If there’s any problem, just bring it back here. I’ll take a look for you. But once the stone has been crushed, the only option is to buy a new ring."

Ular immediately lifted his head.

"What did you just say?"

"About the ring?"

"No, the part after that."

Kei blinked.

"If there’s a problem, bring it back here, and I’ll take a look for you?"

"That’s right!" Ular grabbed Kei’s hand again. "You’ve said it now. No matter how far away we are in the future, you can’t refuse us!"

"Alright, I got it." Kei replied reluctantly.

Hanna leaned on the counter and said with a smile:

"Ular, don’t scare Kei. He hasn’t even had the chance to close up the shop and rest, and you’re already making him promise all sorts of things."

"This is important business."

Ular said very seriously.

"Got it, got it."

Afterwards, the members of the Black Rose Guild purchased a large quantity of goods from the shop. From recovery potions and energy stones to other support items, nearly every shelf was checked over by them.

Although no one said it out loud, both Kei and Kim Sora understood that this was the Black Rose Guild deliberately coming to buy goods from their shop as a way of saying thank you.

Kei watched the goods being loaded onto the vehicle and couldn’t help but ask:

"You’re all buying this much?"

Yudian checked the list as he replied:

"The new city may be more suitable for our rank, but the item shops there aren’t necessarily as well-stocked as this place."

After all, Dong-San City was a place that the Black Rose Guild had protected and operated in for years, so the items and goods for hunters were of the best quantity and quality.

The new city was quite far from supply sources, so the Black Rose Guild would need to operate there for a long time before it could match the current Dong-San City.

Ular nodded.

"It might be a long time before we find a place that sells items as good as your shop."

Kei looked at them, a feeling of inexplicable sadness rising in his heart.

"Then you all must be careful."

"You too." Ular replied. "If anything happens, contact us. To the Black Rose Guild, Kei, you are an extremely important person!"

"Okay."

"Kei." Yudian suddenly spoke up. "Thank you again."

Kei smiled.

"Stop thanking me. Hurry and get on the road, or you’ll be late."Ular laughed heartily, then together with Yudian led the remaining members of the Black Rose Guild out of the shop.

Sora stood by the door, quietly watching the figures of the hunters gradually fading into the distance.

"They’re really gone now..."

"Yeah."

"Most of the hunters in the Black Rose Guild are regulars at the shop." Sora said softly. "From now on, they’ll be traveling far away, so we’ll rarely get to see them again."

Kei turned to look at her.

"Don’t be too sad. There will be plenty of new customers coming to the shop soon."

The Guild that will protect Dong-San City next is sure to be a large and powerful one, with a number of hunters that overwhelms the Black Rose Guild.

"But new customers aren’t the same as the old familiar faces."

Kei was silent for a moment.

Sora lowered her head, her voice growing quieter.

"Some people made a ruckus every time they came here, some always asked for discounts, some only came to talk about stories from the Dungeon... Thinking back now, this shop became livelier day by day thanks to them."

Kei gazed at the deserted street.

"Then let’s believe that one day they’ll come back."

Sora looked up at him.

"Do you really think so?"

"Yeah." Kei smiled. "If they still remember this shop, they’ll definitely return, and by then they’re sure to have become stronger."

Early the next morning, as the Black Rose Guild was preparing to leave, Kei went with Sora to the outskirts of the city, where the Guild members were loading their belongings onto the carts.

Ular spotted the two from afar and waved.

"Kei! Miss Sora! You came to see us off?"

"Yes." Sora replied, forcing a smile. "Just here to wish everyone a safe journey."

Yudian, who was checking the crates, also turned around.

"Thank you, miss."

Before Kei could say anything, he suddenly noticed there were many people behind him. There were the elderly, young children, and ordinary townsfolk carrying simple luggage.

Sora turned around in surprise.

"Why are there so many people?"

Kei looked at the stream of people quietly walking forward, then back at the carts of the Black Rose Guild.

All of them were heading toward the outskirts of the city.